Method of and apparatus for making composite bearing strip



Aug. 19, 1941. J. v. o. PALM METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKINGCOMPOSITE BEARING STRIP Filed Oct. 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ,

J. V. O. PALM Aug. 19, 1941.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING'CMPOSITE BEARING STRIP 5 Sheehs-Sheet2 Filed Oct. 15, 1936 IN VENTOR' do W0. 1 2/ .6 93 ATTORNEY;

Aug. 19, 1941- .1. v. o. PALM METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKINGCQMPOSITE BEARING STRIP 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001;. 15, 1956 5 H J C Oy r. [I0 1 o imam I m I a n INVENTOR. (fa/1 %a 1 6 5? BY n , GM 6 J7ATTORNEY};

, Patented Aug. 19, 1941 STATES orrl'ca v 2,252,945 a a p METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR'MAK ING.

y COMPOSITE nEAmNg s'rme' L John v. 0. Palm, Cleveland Heights, 01110,as timer to The Cleveland Graphite Bronze Com-- ''pany, Cleveland, Ohio,a corporation of 'Qhio T Application October 15,1936, Serial ana-m y(Cl. 22-573) y immiscible lower melting point constituent such a g6Claims.

The present inventidnrelates to a methodv of and an apparatus formaking-a composite bearing strip. More particularly, the inventionpertains to the productiomby a continuous mode of operation, of acomposite strip having one layer composed of a backing metal'such assteel, and

a another layer bonded and joined thereto and composed of a bearingmetal, such as babbltt or plastic bronze. v

The fundamental object of the invention is to "10 so control the rate offlow of a iiuid, molten bearing metal 'upon the moving backing metal'strip, '50, that the thickness of the applied bearing metal layer willbe determined, evenly distributed and uniformly maintained. By reason ofsuch as lead in. plastichronze is inhibited. Similarly,

. the opportunities for oxidation and vaporization of bearing metalalloy constituents are reduced.

, Grain growth of the crystalline structure of thebearing metal, due torelatively slower cooling.

is also retarded;

bearing metal from a melting pot or reservoir at a uniform rate of flowduring the variation in,

the liquid level of the molten metal inthe melting pot and during thevariation in the angle control of the rate of application of the bearingmetalto the backing metal strip, it is possible to obtain aresultantcomposite strip wherein the .thicknessof the bearing metal layer moreclosely approaches the required thickness in the finished product, via,a cylindrical orsemi-cylin- [drical bearlng'shell. By virtue ofsoclosely controlling the thickness of the originally applied bearingmetal layer, the following advantages result: elimination of excessmachining, decrease in the lossoi bearing metal, and the production of abearing metal layer having better metallur'gicai properties. Theapplication of the hearing, metal layer inthe nature of the plasticbronze, in thefabrication of a composite bearing strip heretofore hasnot been. controlled and maintained within substantially close ranges ofthickness, with the resultant inconvenience and difllculty thatexcessive machining and removal and grain growth. It is obvious that thesmaller the amount of molten 'bearing metal applied, as comparedto thehaphazard application of metal of excess thickness, that the rate ofsolidification of the molten metal and the length of time in which themetal is maintained in themolten state will be correspondinglydecreased. The

result isthat the segregation or liquation of an of pouring tilt of thepot. Additional objects in the construction of the apparatus are toprovide means to prevent splashing and 'spattering of the molten bearingmetal upon its contact with the backing strip and to obtain a lateraldistribution of the molten bearing metal over the face of thebackingfstrip. V

Additional objects and advantages shall become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds. W To the accomplishment of the foregoing andrelated ends, said invention, thenjconsists ofthe means hereinafterfully described and par-- tioularly pointed out in the claims, theannexed drawings and the following description setting.

forth in detail certain means and one mode of carrying out theinvention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating, however, but oneof various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus em-- posite bearing strip.

Now referring more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus showntherein includes a supporting frame I upon which the melting pot housing2 is pivotally mounted by means of the trunnion arms 3 and 4. The innerwalls of the housing 2 are lined with a refractory, insulating materialas indicated at 5. ,A molten metal reservoir or melting pot 6 is adaptedto be received a in the interior of the housing 2. A pouring chan- Theapparatus embodying the principle of the, invention provides means forpouring molten ably lined with a refractory cement asindicated at 9.

A pair of curved 'chann'elsor runners are chute 40. The lower end or thepouring chute j .40 terminates in an opening immediately above thedeflector plate 42. I The deflector-plate located underneath the housing2 and'are adapted to'serve as bearing guidesfor the cables H which. haveone endanchored to the left hand 42 is located Just above the baseplate-43 over which the backing metal strip 44 is moved. As i shown inFig. -3, a..pair of heatingrol'ls. 45 and 'end of the runners l0 (withrespect to Fig. 2)

and the other end connected to a' counterebalance l5. The cables travelover the' pulleys l2 and idler pulleys 13 mounted upon the verticalframe H. .The last described mechanism is for '46 contact the backingstrip 44 which is drawn through the preheating muille 41 and under--neath the end of the deflector plate 42, and the backing strip 44 isdrawn through the apparatus -by means of the rolls 60 and GI which are10- the purpose of facilitatingth tilting movement of the melting pothousing 2 about the points of its trunnion arms 3 and 4. T Directingattention particularly to Fig. 1, the shaft 20 extends fromv thetrunnion arm 4 pivot cated at-the delivery end. The rolls 60 and 6| aredriven through a variable speed transmis-..

sion (not shown) whereby their rate of rotation and consequently thespeed of travel of the strip "44. may be varied. An abutment 48 isspaced a through the supporting bracket 6 on, the frame;

l. The shaft carriesa gear 2| 'whichmeshes with a smaller gear 22 on theshaft 23 of a rereduction gear unit. 24. The high speed shaft 25 of thereduction gearunit 24 carries a face plate 26. which is in turn engagedby a friction wheel drive 21 from the drive motor 28. The drive motor 28is mounted upon' a slidable'bed 29 and is also engaged by a'feed screw30which is locked against longitudinal movement by means of suitablethrust bearings in the base block 3|. The feed screw 30 is connected. by

slight distance from the end of the deflector 'plate 42 and extendsdownwardly to a position substantially in contact with the upper face ofthe backing stri 44. The lower end 4| of the pouring chute 40 and thedeflector plate 42 are enclosed in a housing 49 The pouring chute 40,deflector plate 42 and means of a coupling 32 to a worm and gear drive33, driven by the motor- 34. The purpose of the last described mechanismis to tilt the housat a progressively increasing rate of speed wherebythe rate of flow of molten metal out of the pouring spout 8 will beconstant, regardless of I the variation of angular positions throughwhich 1 a housing 2 andpot fi are tilted. Thedrive motor 28operates torotatethe shaft .20 through gears 22 and 2|. The feed screw drive motor34 slowly rotates the feed screw 30 and thereby moves the drive motor 28and its friction drive' wheel 21 from a position of low speedtransmission to high speed transmission. The face plate '26 and frictiondrive wheel'2l thereby constitute 1 ing 2 and melting pot 5 about thetrunnion pivots bearing strip base plate 43 are suitably insulated bymeans of insulating walls as indicated at 5|, 52 and 53; A removablecover 54 lined with insulating material asat 55 permits access to theseveral parts located adjacent the pouring area.

A conduit 56 extends through the cover 54 and terminates adjacent thelower end 4| of the pouring spout 40. The conduit 56 is for the purposeof introducing a non-oxidizing'or reducing gas to the locality where thebearing metal is applied to the backing strip 44 and also to per-- thefriction driv 21, reduction gear unit 24, and I avariablespeed-transmission; which by reason ,of the movement of the motor 28operatesuto tilt the housing '2 and meltingpot 6 at aprogressivelyincreasing rate of speed.

After each pouring of the molten bearing met al from the melting'pot6;;the motor is re--- versed to restore'th'e housing 2 and melting pot 6to normal position, and the motor 34 also reh versed to turn thefriction wheel 21 to itsoriginal starting positionat low speedtransmission ratio. It is to be understood that the feed screw 30ismeate the interior of the pouring chute 40, connector 35, spout 8, andmelting pot 6 with a non oxidizing atmosphere.

.A duplicatehousing 2' carrying another melt- I ing pot and-having apouring spout 8', connector 35' and pouring chute 40' is also providedat a position opposite the similar parts hereinabove ,describedand thelower end of the pouring chute 40' terminates in a common opening withthe opening 4| of the pouring chute 40. In this from the melting "pot 6at a predetermined, unirotated at such a speed as to 'move the'friegtion2 .and melting pot 6 move from normal'to fully wheel from low to highspeed transmission ratios during the same period of time that thehousing tilted position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2... A hollowconnector 35 is movablv supported by means of the y0ke35 carried by thehorizontal shaft 31. The shaft 3'! is giou'rnalledin the framei and hasa hand wh eel38 positioned on its outer end- An over balanced weight 39on the hand wheel 38 is-for the purpose of urging rection so that theupper 'end of the connector- 35 'which has an opening adapted toregister with the. spherical contour of the .pourim snout 8, ismaintained in close fitting contactwith the latter.

The lower "end .of the connector 35 telescopi-J cally fits within theupper end of the pouring form rate of flow. A corresponding increase or,decrease in thespeed or movement of the backingstrip 44 or in the rateof flow of the molten" "60 bearing metal from the melting pot 6 willthereby be effective to determine the thickness of the bearingmetallayer applied to the backing strip 44. By means of control'of these lastmentioned variable factors; .it is' possible to regulateand determinethe thickness of the applied bearing metal there .within close limits.solidified bear- .the yoke 36 and connector 35 in an'upward div jingmetal on .the strip after it passes the point A where themolten-metal is applied, and the direction -of movement of the strip,being opposite to that of the applied metal, operate to longitudinallyconfine the flow of molten metal. The

' downwardly depending flanges50 (Fig.. 4) and the flanges 58 on theedges of the backing strip 44. serve as means. for laterally confiningthe v.dow of the applied molten metal.

Other modes of 8011 7 the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being-made as regards the means andthe steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of thefollowing claims or their equivalents'be employed- I thereforeparticularly P int out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a composite metal strip machine, the combination of means formoving a backing metal strip, a molten metal reservoir, tiltablesupporting means for 'said reservoir, variable speed power meansconnected to said supporting means and adapted to tilt said reservoirand thereby pour molten metaltherefrom at a uniform, predetermined, rateof flow, and conduit means leading from said reservoir to a point 'adJacent said backing strip.-

2. Ina composite metal strip machine, the

combination of means -for moving a backing metal strip, a molten metalreservoir, tiltable ing frame for said reservoir, pivotal means formounting said frame, a discharge spout on said reservoir extendingbeyond said pivotal means,- variable speed means for-tilting'said frameand said reservoir about the pivotal point of support of said pivotalmeans. whereby to pour molten metal from said discharge spout at auniform, predetermined rate of flow, a conduit leading from saiddischarge spout at a point adjacent said backing strip, means forvariably regulating the length of said conduit,-and a deflecting platepositioned at the discharge end of said conduit and immediately abovesaid backing strip.

5. In a composite metal 'strip machine, the

combination of means "for moving a backing metal strip, a molten metalreservoir, a supporting frame for said reservoir, pivotal means formounting said frame, a discharge spout on said supporting means for saidreservoir, variable speed power means connected to said supporting meansand adapted to tilt said reservoir and thereby pour molten metaltherefrom at a uniform, predetermined rateof flow, conduit means leadingfrom said reservoir to a point adjacent said. backing strip, and adeflecting plate positioned at the discharge end of said conduit meansand immediately above said backing strip.

3. In a composite metal strip machine, the combination of means formoving a backing metal strip, a molten metal reservoir, a supportingframe for said reservoir, pivotalmeans for mounting said frame, adischarge spout on said reservoir extending beyond said pivotal means,variablespeed means for tilting said frame and said reservoir about thepivotal point of support of said pivotal means whereby to pour moltenmetal from said discharge spout at a uniform, predetermined rate offlow, a conduit leading from said discharge spoutat a point adjacentsaid backing strip, and meansfor variably regulating the length of saidconduit.

4. Ina composite metal strip machine, the

combination of means for moving a'backing. metal strip,-,a molten metalreservoir, 11 support-- *posite strip, the steps which consist inpouring reservoir extending beyond said pivotal means, variable speedmeans for tilting said frame and said reservoir about thepivotal pointof support of said pivotal means whereby to,pour molten metal from saiddischarge spout at a uniform, predetermined rate of flow, a conduitleading from said'discharge spout at a point adjacent said backingstrip, means for variably'regulating the length of said conduit, adeflecting plate positioned at the discharge end of'said, conduit andimmediately above said backing strip, and a gas conduit connected to thelowermostiend of said first-named conduit.

I 6. In a continuous method of making a commoiten metal having a meltingpoint of the order of the melting point of plastic bronze onto a movingbacking strip at a uniform predetermined rate, moving said backing stripat a predetermined uniform rate as the molten metal is 'being pouredthereon, the rapidity of pouringandof strip movement being so controlledas to obtain a composite strip wherein the thickness of the sound usableportion ofthe applied layer is substantially uniform and closelyapproaches the required thickness of the products made from said strip.

said applied metal. in Y

